Poland is pushing for equal access to new medicines across the EU as it takes over the presidency of the European Council in January.
The country aims to reform pharmaceutical legislation to ensure that innovative drugs reach all EU members, particularly smaller countries like Poland, where access to new treatments is limited. Currently, only 69 of 167 medicines approved in Europe from 2019 to 2022 are available in Poland, compared to 147 in Germany.
Poland supports reducing the market monopoly rights of drug companies, advocating for shorter data protection periods (from 8 to 6 years) to lower drug prices and speed up access to generics. This would also require companies to launch their products across all 27 EU countries. However, wealthier EU nations like France, Germany, and Denmark oppose these changes, preferring to maintain the current system, which they argue ensures innovation.
Poland faces a challenge in reconciling the interests of these wealthier countries while representing smaller member states that struggle with drug access. As the presidency transitions to Denmark in mid-2025, which has close ties to the pharmaceutical industry, finding common ground will be crucial for moving the proposal forward.
